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What is the Technical Standup?

Luigi Mondelli from Best Way Jiu-Jitsu / American Top Team calls the technique the “Technical Standup”. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard another term from it, but basically it’s the CORRECT way to standup out of bottom guard. It can be used when you’re in danger of being passed, or you get taken down and want to get back to your feet. Lately in Luigi’s MMA classes we have been working on the technical standup from guard and half guard.

This video kind-of demonstrates the principles without me trying to go into exact details of the standup itself.

Finish with Strikes

The great thing about the technical standup if you execute it quickly and properly is that you end up in an excellent striking position. When you force their face and head back, as well as using your shin and knee to brace against their thigh, you can quickly standup and reign down blows. If MMA, he’ll still be on his knees so you can’t knee him to the face, but you certainly can punch… but if you’re on the street, deliver some powerful knees to destroy his face.

Standup from Guard

The way we have been working it is from the hold down position. Basically this is a no-gi scissor guard (assuming leg leg across) with an overhook on his right arm and defending with wrist control on his left arm. You then push off his face with your left on, brace your shin on his thigh, and do the technical standup. I need to remind myself to shoot some video of this….

Half Guard as well

The standup works the same way from half guard, but you still have to have the knee across. I’ve heard this called the z-guard, cross-half guard, or whatever. Basically your knee is across their body to create some space in half guard. Sometimes they try to sit on your foot. The standup works regardless.

Not just for MMA

Another cool aspect of working the technical standup, especially for guys like myself who love takedowns and prefer to be on top, is that you can use this technique in no-gi grappling and at times in BJJ. When the person top person is controlling well and pressuring, it does make it more difficult with the gi, but easier then one would expect. You can also transition right to a front headlock attack and attempt to submit or take their back.

Great Street Fighting Technique

One of the best uses for the technical standup is escaping from the bottom on the street. If you are unable to quickly finish an attacker from the bottom, get up and quickly and attack with strikes and BIG knees. Just grab his head and introduce it to your knee…. Goodnight!